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Introduction "The waves of time may never cease their relentless flow into the future, but as one century spills into another, the Empire of Eldoria perches upon the crest of an unprecedented tide. As we stare into the vast expanse of the tomorrow, we find calm seas and an unlimited horizon. Our resources parallel the girth of our Empire, stretching from Karradone in all directions to the brink of civilization.
- Emperor Dehrick d'Uthar IV, from his speech celebrating the Eldorian Empire's Tercentennial, 300 AC History 
Humans awoke in the Age of Stars on the island of Eldoria proper. No one knows the gods' reasoning for situating humans so far away from the other sentient civilizations. It seemed to matter little, however, for as their population grew, and Sal of Lore invented sailing ships, they began to leave the island for all corners of Tarien. Those that remained lived a tribal life for thousands of years. Basing their lives on agriculture and war, they had short, and in Soulmeliti terms, unproductive lives. Colonies of humans that had migrated from Eldoria, such as Galencia, began to form modern civilizations as early as 945 BC, Eldoria did not even have a name until 304 BC To their credit, between all the fighting and farming, the Eldorians did discover crop rotation and invent the phalanx. Eldorian history, therefore, begins in 304 BC when the Uthar tribe conquered the Daulale tribe, thus making it the military power in the western half of the island. Jendale d'Uthar, the tribe's leader, declared himself warlord of all of Eldoria. [Editor's note: Scholars speculate that the name Eldoria comes from Eldorian, the traditional title for the leader of a tribe.] Humans being as they are, extremely fertile and short-lived (therefore exceptionally hard working), the island grew in population a civilization quite rapidly. In 276 BC Warlord Jendale d'Uthar IV began to construct a Castle along the banks of the Selkirn River. By 273 BC, so many people had flocked to the castle that the Warlord founded a village along the southern banks of the mouth of Eldoria, and named his cousin, Karrad, chancellor. By 265 BC the village had become a large town and was known as Karradone. After reading about the splendors of Geyla, the capital city of Galencia, Jendale IV declared Karradone his capital and began spending money to make it a grand city. In 197 BC, the d'Uthar family's power stretched past the mountains of central Eldoria and they had built the town of Phelandria. Using Karradone as an example, Warlord Dorn III named his cousin Alexius the chancellor. Krellia popped up the same way in 143 BC and by 115 BC, after much talk about manifest destiny, Theyla was built by Warlord Jendale VI. The d'Uthar's now controlled the entire island of Eldoria. The Eldorians spread off the island in 21 BC to build Drythe, a short distance east of Theyla on the great continent of Prydith. Then, in 1 A.C Warlord Kern X of Eldoria declared that Eldoria had expanded off the island, and therefore was an Empire. In a moving ceremony in Karradone, he was crowned Emperor Kern d'Uthar I, rule of all of Eldoria. To commemorate the moment, he reset the calendars, stepping away from the traditional Soulmeliti scroll of years and made the Eldorian standard calendar. [Editor's note: All dates before the crowning are BC, and all dates after it are AC.] In the following century Eldoria continued to expand. Emperor Kern I expanded manifest destiny to include the entire Eldorian Sea region in 19 AC Four years later, a fishing colony called Mathe was assimilated at the mouth of the mighty river Prydith. Tragedy, however, strikes four years later as Kern I died and his son, Dorn I was crowned. The evil vampire Søren Serringal embraced Dorn in 4 AC and used his minion as a puppet to run the Eldorian Empire. Dorn's younger brother, Jethrick learned of the scheme and was banished. Legend states that he rode from farm to farm, spreading the horrible news and gaining support until all of Eldoria's peasants marched on Karradone. Civil war broke out. While Jethrick's supporters out numbered Dorn's by ten to one, the vampiric emperor had the support of the highly trained Eldorian legions. The war lasted until 32 AC when, using magical sword Veracous, Jethrick slew his brother and took the throne. [Editor's note: The sword disappeared in the Eldorian forests, returning over four hundred years later during the time of prophecy when Alec of Alestria, a Kari-Zaro, exacted final revenge for the empire by slaying Lord ø Serringal himself.] Eldoria negotiated Grennig from Galencia in 75 AC. They made contact with the Kari-Zaro in 112 AC when an Eldorian shipwrecked along the coast of the Jungles of Thallox. By 120 AC the Eldorians had built a trading post, called Alestria, in Kari-Zaro lands. In a similar move, the trading post of Carbothia was established along the Eldorian Sea's western shore, near the great desert. After a war with the local Dharja'shan, between 179 and 190 AC, Eldoria retained the post on a permanent basis. With the only civilization left on the Eldorian Sea that did not belong to Eldoria being Mennith, they built Fort Parna along the Mennithite border in 210 AC With an invasion force of over 10,000 legionnaires, Eldoria conquered Mennith in 215 AC To add a feather to the Empire, they built Yaty in 232 AC. With an empire over a thousand miles square, Eldorians needed a way to travel. In 243 AC Eldoria staged negotiations with Galencia and Soulmeliti to begin construction of the Trans-Rhuethengage Highway. The Highway, which stretches from New Solarin to Karradone (with an extension to the twin cities of Mathe) was completed in 288 AC In a massive celebration, legionnaires lit fires every ten miles along the highway in succession. Supposedly, the light spread from Karradone to New Solarin in less than an hour. The Empire became too large and unmanageable. To better use its resources, the Empire granted Yaty home rule in 301 AC. Trouble began to break out in Mennith among the religious fundamentalist as early as 374 AC. In 383 AC, Mennithite rebels burned the castle of the Eldorian Duke in charge of the region. By 398 AC full-scale war had broken out. Mennith finally won its independence in 430 AC. Grennig, seeing Mennith's success, began to rebel in 423 AC. They did not, however, have the religious fervor that spurred Mennith to freedom, and it takes until the 458 AC of the Great War for Grennig to gain its freedom. Organized crime also became a factor in Eldoria life in the fifth century. In 444 AC a thief named Rhyack consolidated his power in Karradone. The Thieves' Guild has since spread its corrupt influence over the entire Eldorian Sea region and even into Galencia. Geography The island of Eldoria lies in a warm temperate zone. The climate ranges from fertile grasslands, through large forests, to rolling hills and small mountains. The weather is humid and hot in the summer, and warm in the winter. The colonial city of Drythe shares the island's climate, while ocean currents keep Mathe warmer and wetter than the island. Carboth is arid and exceptionally hot all year round. Society Most Eldorians work diligently on their farms, ships, or in their shops. They have little time for art, culture or frills. Most manage to attend a temple at least once a week, with Anderi being their favorite god. They obey the laws, resent taxes, but appreciate the level of civilization that the empire brings. The average Eldorian marries by age eighteen and has five or six children to help with their labors. Eldorian high society, however, maintains cutting edge fashion and high culture. In the Empire's large cities, theater, art, and literature receive heavy endowments from the nobility. Eldorian cities are littered with fountains, murals, and sculptures. The rich tradition of literature, particularly in the eastern cities of Karradone and Phelandria has led to large libraries and a thriving theater district. Fashion begins in Karradone and moves westward, with last year's high styles in Karradone becoming this year's fashion buzz in Drythe. Most Eldorians remain uneducated, but those who come from nobility, wealthier merchant families, and even poor children who show an exceptional propensity for learning, study at the University of Karradone, the center for the academics in Tarien. Religion The Eldorian Empire houses many religions. Nearly all the gods are respected in some manner or another. No region has a state religion. The gods of Anderi, Arimatithica, Jehana, Chetria, Doria, and Kaylias have many temples throughout the land. In Karradone, the Grand Bazaar is outlined by over twenty temples and is the center of many organized religions on Tarien. Politics Eldoria is an empire. Officially, the Emperor holds total power over his subjects and his lands. The Empire is so large, however, that power trickles down thorough an elaborate hierarchy. First, the Emperor has many ministers to advise him. He has twenty-seven ministers, appointed by himself, in posts that include: the Minister of Religion (to deal with the church), the minister of Law (to deal with the legal system), the Minister of Trade, the Minister of War, and so forth. Secondly, Eldoria is broken down into seven major Duchies, one for each major city: Karradone, Phelandria, Krellia, Theyla, Drythe, Carbothia, and Mathe. Each Duke is directly responsible to the Emperor for the activities of his duchy. Ducal titles are hereditary. Each duchy is also broken down into counties, ruled by a count. Each county typically has one or two large towns and many villages. Each town and village has a burgher who oversees his particular village or town. Counts and burghers are also hereditary positions. A baron runs each major city, also a hereditary position. Karradone also has wards, each run by a burgher. Militarily, the Emperor is officially the commander of the Eldorian Army and Navy. Each branch, however, has a hierarchy of appointed positions with the Grand General and Grand Admiral reporting directly to the Minister of War. The legal situation is similar. The Emperor is the head justice of the land. Each town is has a judge, and large cities have several. In the cities, the judges have a chief justice who is in charge of the judges. In small villages the burgher also acts as the judge. Each major city also has a watch, similar to the military but separate from it. They are responsible for maintaining law and, in the unforeseeable event of invasion, defending the city with the military. Anyone can become an Eldorian citizen if they are human, half-human, Soulmeliti, Khadric, Nerrid or Kari-Zaro. Elynthi and Orcish citizens are not allowed. Despite this fact, most non-humans decide not to obtain citizenship even if they spend their entire lives in Eldoria. Racism is not unheard of, especially in rural areas. Tolerance is an official policy, but even in cities racial violence occurs. Economics Most Eldorians that do not live in cities live off the land. Many are farmers or herders or, in Krellia, miners. Eldoria grows a wide variety of foods, including wheat, potatoes and other tubers, squashes, peppers, onions, corn, and various beans. They produce fine cheeses in Krellia and Theyla, both from cattle and goats. Sheep, goats, cattle, pigs, and chickens are all raised where the terrain permits. Along the coasts, Eldorians fish and trap crabs. Food varies by region but tends to be bland. Eldorians are at heart, meat and potatoes people. In major cities, cuisine from throughout Tarien can be obtained. In the cities, many Eldorians are traders and craftsman. Eldorians trade anything and everything throughout the Eldorian Sea region and beyond. Recently, the Guild has gained a cut in most transaction, especially in Karradone where the Guild has nearly as much power as the official government. Eldorian Craftsmen make everything from maps to clothing to horseshoes to weapons. These items are either sold wholesale to traders for export or in small city shops. In Karradone, the Grand Bazaar houses many permanent shops for local craftsman, as well as temporary ones for traders. Importing anything into an Eldorian city will of course, incur an excise tax, and most likely, a Guild fee. Eldorian society is primogeniture and everything typically passes to the eldest male heir. Cities Karradone, the jewel and capital of the Empire, is a sprawling city of 60,000 people. It is the largest city in Tarien and houses many great trading companies, religious organizations, and craftsmen. Among its features are the Grand Bazaar, a great square of outdoor trading shops where one can find anything from a Thalloxian tiger to a Khadric Star Diamond. The city also house the university of Karradone, an institute of higher education and the center of Tarien's academia, and its sister school, the University of Pure and Applied Thaumaturgy, the center for magical learning on Tarien. Karradone is also the central of power for the Thieves' Guild, which holds great sway in city politics and trade. Phelandria is a seafaring city of 30,000 people, the second largest in Eldoria. It is a major center for trade along the Eldorian Sea. Krellia is a mining city of 15,000 in central Eldoria. It produces most of the metals used in Eldorian weaponsmithing and blacksmithing. Theyla is a trading city also of around 15,000 people, situated on the Southern shore of the island. Its major export is livestock, as the steppes surrounding provide an ideal environment for cattle. Drythe, just east of the island, is a major trading city of 25,000 people. Traders here deal in fur, timber, farming products, and anything bound for Mathe, Yaty, or the Grand Duchy of Sternbalia. The twin cities of Mathe have a combined population of nearly 12,000 people. Trade here centers on seafood, farming goods, and fabulous fruits. Carbothia is a trading city of 8,000 people. Relations with the Dharja'shan of the desert are common, and the trade with them runs the city. The Thieves' Guild seems to have its hands in all the trade here, both legal and illegal. International Relations
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"Our strength, from the youngest and newest legionnaire to the crow's nest atop our magnificent ships, rivals that of civilizations lost millennia ago."